Brooklyn Man Sentenced in Deadly Hit-and-Run Near Williamsburg

By Y.M. Lowy

A Brooklyn man has been sentenced to prison after a deadly hit-and-run crash that left a pedestrian dead.

32-year-old Jerry Gelle was driving at high speed along Bedford Avenue in the early morning hours of October 10, 2024, when he ran multiple red lights and struck 49-year-old Felix Mendez as he was crossing at Lafayette Avenue.

The impact killed the victim and the driver fled the scene, continuing to drive recklessly before abandoning the vehicle a few blocks away.

Investigators later linked him to the car using surveillance footage and DNA evidence. He was arrested months later and has now been sentenced to five to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal crash.

The incident happened just minutes from Williamsburg, drawing attention to ongoing concerns about speeding and dangerous driving in the area.